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Play Lode Runner (Japan edition · Japanese) Online
Lode Runner
Play Lode Runner online for NES. Dig traps, evade guards, collect hidden gold and climb the escape ladder across fifty action-puzzle stages.
Browser play

Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) / Famicom — EmulatorJS controls
Default Player 1 keyboard mapping. Change keys in Controller Settings.
| Console button | Keyboard |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ / ← / → | ↑ / ↓ / ← / → |
| A / B | Z / X |
| START / SELECT | Enter / V |
Open Controller Settings to configure your keyboard or gamepad. Touch controls are available on mobile.
How to Play Lode Runner
Quick start
Use SELECT on the title screen to choose one player, then press START. Move along platforms and climb ladders to pick up gold. When a guard approaches, drill a nearby brick with A on your right or B on your left, then cross over the trapped guard before it escapes. Search both sides of the scrolling stage. Once all gold is collected, climb the newly revealed ladder to the top to finish the level.
Controls
D-pad left/right: move. Up/down: climb or descend ladders; down also drops from a hanging bar. A: drill a hole to your right. B: drill to your left. START: begin, pause or resume. SELECT: choose a title-screen mode or open level selection during play. On the level-selection screen, A increases the level and B decreases it; holding SELECT with A speeds up play, while SELECT + B slows it down. Only suitable brick areas can be drilled.
Lode Runner — About this game
Lode Runner combines route planning with a chase through brick platforms, ladders and hanging bars. Your drill opens holes to either side, letting you reach buried gold or trap a pursuing guard long enough to cross over its head. Those holes refill, so careless digging can seal your own escape route. Collect every gold pile to reveal the exit ladder, remembering that a guard may be carrying the last missing treasure. The scrolling stages hide parts of the layout beyond the current view, while level selection, adjustable speed and an editor provide ways to explore the game's puzzles.
Cheats
No cheats have been added for this edition.
Player verification and sources
Browser play was reviewed before this edition was published in the catalogue. The date below is the catalogue publication date, not the game’s original release date.
- Browser test and catalogue publication date
- Browsers and devices
- PC: Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Mobile: Chrome on Android and Safari on iPhone and iPad.
- Player engine and core
- EmulatorJS 4.3.0-pre · nes
- Tested by
- rwEmulator
Sources and editorial basis
rwEmulator reviews edition metadata, release information, game manuals and first-hand browser-play notes. Available manuals are linked below; the editorial policy explains how facts are checked and corrections are handled.